Electric-light socket



Jan. 14, 1930. NIELSEN 1,743,900

ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET Filed April 12, 1927 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Jan. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JENS 1. NIELSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT SOCKET Application filed April 12,

This invention relates to lighting systems, and more particularly to decorative lights such as are used on Christmas trees, wherein a plurality of electric light bulbs are connected in series. a

In lighting systems of the above and analogous characters, it is a well known fact that should one of the bulbs burn out or become otherwise impaired, the remaining bulbs in series are automatically extinguished. When such a condition presents itself, it is necessary, in order to locate the defective bulb, to remove the bulbs one by one and insert a new one in its place. This procedure is not only tedious, requiring considerable time, but is sometimes cumbersome when the bulbs are located in the tree at points beyond ordinary reach.

It is therefore the purpose of the present invention to provide a novel construction of means for locating the defective bulb or bulbs in series, without the necessity of removing any bulb from its socket, and accomplish this object with a minimum of time and effort.

25 More specifically stated, the invention comprehends a socket construction capable of being short circuited when its bulb becomes impaired, thereby completing the circuit to the other bulbs in series without the necessity of removing the defective bulb from its socket.

To thisend, the bulb supporting shell is included in circuit with normally spaced contacts and movably mounted within the socket, so that when the circuit through the lights is broken by adefective bulb, it is only necessary to slightly press the shell inwardly, bringing-said contacts together, whereby the socket is short circuited to complete the circuit to the remaining bulbs in series.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detail description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the in vention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

1927. Serial No. 183,108.

In the drawing forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view through a socket illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

'- Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of .Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through a modified 'form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail 10 indicates an electric light socket which may be constructed from any suitable material and vary in size and configuration without departing from'the inventive idea. The metalhe bulb supporting shell is indicated at 11, the bulb being represented at 12. The shell 11 includes a bottom 13 of insulating material, while supported by this bottom is a central contact 14 which is connected with one of the 7 electric wires 15. Arranged in the bottom of the socket 10 is a contact 16 which is connected with the other wire 15, the contact 14, which extends through the insulated bottom 13 of the shell, being'normally held spaced from the contact 16 in any suitable manner. For this purpose I preferably employ a yieldable element, such as a coil spring 17, one end of which is connected with the shell 11, while the other end is connected with the contact 30 16 as illustrated. It is manifest, that by reason of this construction, the shell 11 can be slightly pressed inwardly to bring the contact 14 into engagement with the contact 16 with a view of short circuiting the socket, when the bulb 12 becomes defective from any purpose whatsoever. Consequently when a plurality of lights are connected in series, the defective bulb can be readily ascertained by pressing upon the sockets 11 singly, and without of necessity of removing the defective bulb and replacing it with a new one in the manner hereinabove pointed out. When the shell 11 is pressed inwardly to bring the contact 14 into engagement with the contact 16, the circuit is completed through the spring 17 and the shell 11 as will be readily understood.

While any suitable means may be employed to prevent the shell 11 from rotating within the socket, I preferably form the latter with extensions 18 which extend within grooves 19 formed in the socket 10, which construction is clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The extensions 18 are also flat and of a width substantiall equal to the width of the groove 19, so that t e socket is also held against any tilting or pivotal movement which might otherwise interfere with the proper position of the spring.

In Figure 5 I have shown a modified form of the invention wherein the socket is indicated at 21, and the bulb supporting socket at 22. This shell is also provided with the extensions 23 to operate in grooves 24 to re- 1. vent rotation of the shell within the soc et.

The shell is also formed with a bottom 25 of insulating material and provided with a central contact 26. Reposing upon the bottom of the socket 21 is a metallic plate 27 to which 80 the wire 28 is connected, and this plate is formed with yieldable projections 29 which are disposed in the path of movement of the shell 22. The shell is normally held in spaced relation to the plate 27 by means of a coil ring 30, the other wire 31 being connected with the shell 22 as shown. Consequently should the bulb of the socket 22 become impaired, it is only necessary to move the shell 22 inwardly until it contacts the extensions 29 of the plate 27, whereupon the socket would be short circuited, to complete the circuit with the other lights in series as will be read ily understood.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood, that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

In combination, an electric light socket constructed in one piece and interiorly provided with opposed longitudinal grooves, a bulb supporting shell arranged in the socket and spaced from the walls thereof, a coil spring engageable with the bottom of the shell and the bottom of said socket respectively, whereby the shell is yieldably mounted, a contact carried on said socket in electrical engagement with the spring, a contact in the shell but insulated therefrom and arranged in the path of the first mentioned contactwhereby v the socket is short circuited on movement of the shell to dispose the contacts in engagement with each other, laterally disposed substantially flat extensions projectin upper end of the shell and being ormed integral therewith, said extensions bein of a width substantially equal to the wi th of said grooves and being mounted for slidable movement in the latter in a manner to prevent rotation or tilting movement of the shell within the socket.

In testimony whereof I afiix m JENS P. N ELSEN.

from the signature. 

